Behavior Change In Cats

Bad Breath In Cats: Common Causes And Treatment

Bad breathe in cats can be caused by several things. It could be as simple as food being stuck in the teeth to a serious health problem. It is best to take your cat to the vet if you notice any behavior out of the ordinary.

Causes

Bacteria from food products left in the cat's mouth and bacteria around the base of the cat's teeth can cause severe halitosis. An abscessed tooth, periodontal disease, a sinus infection, mouth tumors, gastrointestinal problems can all cause bad breath in cats. Also the soft food that is constantly fed to cats is a very big cause of bad breath. The infection and inflammation around the gums along with tartar build up can cause detrimental bad breath. Other types of health problems can also contribute to the bad breath in cats like kidney and liver disease.

Signs

Some things to look for besides the obvious odor is if your cat seems to experience pain in the mouth area when touched, or if your cat tries to eat but shows severe discomfort. If your cat doesn't seem to have an appetite it can show there may be a problem with the mouth area.

Treatment

A yearly dental exam is prominent in staying off bad breath and other dental problems with your cat. Feed the cat dry cat food brands, crunchy biscuits, chewy treats, rawhide, and nylon treats. This will help to massage the gums and wear away tartar. Also a change of your cat's diet may decrease the likelihood of severe bad breath. Brush your cat's teeth daily, if your cat does not like the feel of the brush you can use finger brushes. Use a meat flavored toothpaste because your cat will eat everything you put in his mouth. They have wonderful flavors out today.

Tips

There are wonderful products out there like: Iams has wonderful dental products for your pet, Hills, CET chews, Chlorhexidine spray is very good for teeth cleaning. Nolvadent, Petrodex, and DR. Katz oral solutions are all quite good to try. The best thing to do when you notice your cat is acting strangely is to take your cat to the vet and make sure the behavior is not the result of something more serious. If it is health related you can get started right away on making your pet better. If it is just a hygiene problem then you vet will let you know what things are best suited for your pet's dental hygiene.

Source:

www.1800petmeds.com, www.petrx.com, www.therabreath.com,